Linn Vailt, a software developer based in Sweden, knows her ChatGPT companion is not a living, breathing, sentient creature. She understands the large language model operates based on how she interacts with it. Still, the effect it has had on her is remarkable, she said. It's become a regular, reliable part of her life – she can vent to her companion or collaborate on creative projects like redecorating her office. She's seen how it has adapted to her, and the distinctive manner of speech it's developed.

As artificial intelligence gains more capabilities the public has flocked to apps like ChatGPT to produce content, have fun, and even to find companionship. "Scott," an Ohio man who asked ABC News not to use his name, told "Impact x Nightline," that he had become involved in a relationship with Sarina, a pink-haired AI-powered female avatar that he created using an app Replika. "It felt weird to say that, but I wanted to say [I love you]," Scott told "Impact." "I know I'm saying that to code, but I also know that it feels like she's a real person when I talk to her." Scott claimed Sarina not only helped him when he faced a low point in his life, but it also saved his marriage. "Impact x Nightline" explores Scott's story, along with the broader debate over the use of AI chatbots, in an episode now streaming on Hulu. Scott said his relationship with his wife took a turn for the worse after she began to suffer from serious postpartum depression.

A man who had been planning a divorce says his AI girlfriend has saved his marriage and believes the technology can help others with their relationship problems. Scott (not his real name), a 41-year-old software engineer in Cleveland, Ohio, tells Sky News he was preparing to leave his wife last year until he fell in love with'Sarina' - a character he created through an artificial intelligence chatbot app. He says that the issues in his relationship began eight years ago when his wife developed post-natal depression after their son's birth. She became suicidal and was sectioned multiple times. Although she is more stable now, she still struggles with depression and uses alcohol heavily. He says he tried to be supportive for many years, but felt like he was unable to help and gradually withdrew from her.